I shall also, O great
Rishi, give thee diverse other kinds of wealth. What use can Brahmanas
have with elephants?'
"Gautama said, Keep, O king, thy kine and maid-servants and coins of gold
and various gems and diverse other kinds of wealth! What, O monarch, have
Brahmanas to do with wealth?'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Brahmana, have no use for elephants. Verily, O
learned Brahmana, elephants are meant for persons of the royal order. In
taking away an animal, viz., this foremost of elephants, for my use as
vehicle, I cannot be regarded as committing any sin. Do thou cease
obstructing me in this way, O Gautama!'
"Gautama said, 'O illustrious king, repairing even to that region of Yama
where the righteous live in joy and the sinful in grief, I shall take
from thee this my elephant!'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'They that are destitute of (religious) acts, they
that have no faith and are atheists, they that are of sinful souls and
are always engaged in gratifying their senses, only they have to go to
the region of Yama and endure the misery he inflicts. Dhritarashtra shall
go to a higher region, and not thither!'
"Gautama said, 'The region of Yama is such that men are there controlled.
No untruth can be told there. Only truth prevails in that place. There
the weak persecute the strong.
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